9:8–12 The sixth plague was an outbreak of boils, directly striking (for the first time) the bodies of the Egyptians. Yahweh was the God of the health of the body, in Israel and in Egypt. Israel had believed the sign of Moses’ hand, and now it was the pharaoh’s turn.

Up to this point the plagues have generally followed the pattern of the creation of life described in Genesis 1. The Lord had mirrored creation, undoing its goodness as a sign of the sin of Pharaoh’s oppressive dynastic rule. Egypt’s lordship over the children of Israel also would be undone. Like the first creation account, the undoing of the creation in Egypt began with water (turned to blood). It continued with life from the water (frogs, out of control). Then, from the dust of the ground came the gnats, followed by flies for…